DayOne's Reviews
Let’s Sing 2027 absolutely does not reinvent the formula, but to its credit, it is one of the most notable evolutions in the franchise in quite some years. A new mode with mini-games, various new vocal options and more enrich the experience quite notably. It is a shame that the game is no longer available on Xbox, and that the vast majority of songs are still locked behind a subscription service. Still, if you wanna sing your heart out to a vast selection of popular tunes, alone or with your buddies on a party night, Let’s Sing 2027 definitely gets the job done.
Does the Let’s Sing ABBA really need to improve meaningfully though? It still features the incredibly simple to grasp game mechanics of the series, in this case giving us 32 iconic ABBA tunes that fans of the group should absolutely love – even though a few iconic ones like “Honey, Honey” are still missing for some reason. There’s tons of game modes, no microtransactions or subscriptions, and it’s a free upgrade for owners of the previous version of the game. Hardly a groundbreaking release, but if you’re an ABBA fan and love to sing along to their tunes, Let’s Sing ABBA is definitely worth a look
Overall Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is a genuine improvement and upgrade over Switch Sports. It's an easy recommendation if you're still into the motion sports game craze - I know I am, I have all five games and still play them semi-regularly. The four new additions are all well designed and the Leisure Sports are a great change of pace from the competitive options we've grown to love over the last twenty years.
The technical improvements to this 7th console generation title are fairly negligible, but The Wolf Among Us didn’t need a revolution to still be worth playing in 2026. The game’s noir comic book vibes, the excellent plot and characters, the great voice acting and the branching storyline make this one not just an absolute Telltale classic, but easily one of the most memorable graphic adventures around. While there’s not much in terms of quality-of-life improvements of note, the various deleted scenes and behind the scenes videos are a great bonus, and so is the well-crafted Noir Mode. The Wolf Among Us Remastered is a fairly basic revisiting of this memorable adventure. Not an unmissable upgrade if you already own the game, but well worth playing through if you never did or you want to refresh your memory – and have an up-to-date save file for the upcoming The Wolf Among Us 2.
Some unfortunate bugs aside, The Séance of Blake Manor is an easy recommendation for any gamer who is a fan of point and click adventures or visual novels. The narrative is truly gripping from beginning to end, the presentation is frequently excellent, and the gameplay manages to be both accessible for newcomers and still engaging for those expecting more challenge. At $19.99 and with a Game Pass Ultimate launch, this is one ‘whodunit’ you don’t want to miss.
Booting up Terrible Lizards for the first time, I wasn’t exactly expecting a spiritual sequel to Mirror’s Edge masquerading as a horror game and yet…that is almost exactly what I got. Despite an iffy opening and some technical issues, it manages to pull off a fitting homage to its inspiration, while also bringing plenty of its own flavor to the table. If you want a truly unique horror experience, Terrible Lizards might just fit the bill.
Could Modern Warfare 4 have been a bit more bold and daring? Perhaps, but the end result is one of the most rock solid Call of Duty games ever made, one that anyone even slightly interested in this franchise should really consider playing. Infinity Ward knocked it out of the park with this one, and I can see myself losing countless hours to this game throughout its life cycle.
ONE PIECE fans will find a fun time waster in Grand Gourmet. It’s got excellent visuals and it stays very much true to the long-running pirate series; a casual game that will burn up precious time if you so need it gone.
Final Fantasy Resonance is a triumph in recreating and repurposing an almost decade-old mobile game. While it can stumble a little in the process, such as dungeons often being too small, or optional encounters being too repetitive, my issues with the game seem to revolve around simply wanting more. Resonance is a celebration of the traditional Final Fantasy formula and a reminder of just how damn well that formula still works. With a surprisingly deep cast of characters, a combat system full of variety and choice, fantastic visuals and a grand soundtrack to bring it all together, Final Fantasy Resonance isn’t just a worthy game in the series; it’s one of the best in the franchise.
Stupid Never Dies is a stylish, zombie and monster-infested fun time with a decently long length and an intriguing story. From its eclectic cast of characters, to its large variety in monster styles, to its unique takes on the roguelike formula, there’s a lot to like here. Yet the combat and boss fights don’t always land, and for a game with fighting at its very core, this is a fairly big area to be hit or miss on. Still, when everything does click, Stupid Never Dies is a fantastic time that has you diving right back in again and again.
Ultimately, Thank You, Bus Driver is not a full-fledged game in any traditional sense or price. What it actually is may be more important for them right now; an assertion of the passion and creativity that Double Fine have as a developer, no matter what the budget or timeframe. A few hours of chaotic fun delivered with signature charm; it’s more of an entertaining curio than anything else. Even so, it is small, but worthy addition to the Double Fine catalogue for fans of the studio and hopefully – a good sign of things to come.
Warhammer 40K: Boltgun 2 is a solid sequel to a flawed original. It fixes my main issue, with smartly designed levels that help you feel like a proper badass.
Ultimately, Over the Hill is a lovely little adventure that understands the simple joy of heading out into the wilderness and seeing what you stumble across. For me, it’s at its best when you’re tackling its trickier trails with friends, where a seemingly straightforward expedition can quickly descend into a chaotic and often hilarious rescue mission where you’ll be eating popcorn by the bucket-load. Progression could do with a little fine-tuning, and I personally don’t find solo play to have quite have the same appeal as multiplayer, but regardless – there’s a lot to like here. If you like the idea of going it alone, or if you’ve got a few friends willing to pile into their 4x4s and head up the trail with you, Over the Hill is well worth the trip.
The music, gameplay, levels, bosses, & looks are all incredible. It's classic old-school Castlevania in many ways, for good and bad. A handful of modern conveniences, some devilishly tricky level design, and a decent story combine for something well worth your time.
While a solid bang for your buck, Valor Mortis ends up done in by an overly lengthy campaign in a genre that already isn’t known for respecting your time. It looks great, has a decent story, and some solid acting. It is available Day One in Xbox Game Pass. For fans of From and the Ghostrunner series, it may be worth checking out regardless. For everyone else, at only $40, it will be up to you if this soldier is worth reviving.
Ratatan is a game I really badly wanted to like, but fun gameplay is kept locked behind a poor roguelike that gatekeeps the genuine joy and passion that shines through in the presentation. While I understand that it is a genre that can help a modest budget punch above its weight, here the roguelike design has left a fun ten-hour game absolutely stretched beyond its limits to more than six times that. Hopefully a sequel could realise a stronger overall vision, but right now it is very hard to recommend Ratatan to all but die-hard fans of the original franchise.
Hellraiser: Revival takes an old, cheesy IP and turns it into a solid-assed video game. Seriously, there's a ton of butt cheeks, boobs, and more for the sexiest sickos out there. It isn't wasted, as mostly fun gameplay mechanics back up a decent story. At $40, it's a no-brainer for one looking to delight in the bliss of suffering.
Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen is an excellent expansion. It adds a massive new landmass packed with fun content that makes an already great game even better.
I’ve had a good time running through a couple stages with Garfield in-between, as the familiar yet polished platforming made the dozens of levels at hand fly away nicely. Not a tremendously memorable game, but fans of the genre should consider giving it go!
A neon drenched, loud, frenetic good time. Neon Abyss 2 is yet another solid addition to the 2026 Game Pass Ultimate line up. Alas, there’s still a lot of room for polish, with the overall game balancing badly in need of an overhaul in its current state. Even so, I had far more fun than I was expecting and with some quality post launch support, this could absolutely end up being the rare roguelike I return to again and again.